1. Field of Invention
The general field of invention relates to failsafe controls for mechanisms that perform repetitive cycles of work. More specifically, the field of invention relates to failsafe controls for mechanisms used in the health care industry, including diagnostic and therapeutic mechanisms programmable to dispense selectable timed events. Most specifically, the field of invention relates to phototherapeutic radiation devices for home use.
2. Description of Related Art
In the general field of commerce there are many examples of automatic mechanisms that intermittently perform work responsive to actuating means, timed or non-timed. Furnaces, air conditioners, ovens, kitchen appliances, lights, photocopy machines, and telecommunication devices are but a few examples of miscellaneous prior art apparatus to illustrate the diversity of mechanisms that will benefit from the subject invention. In the health care industry, the device is of particular benefit to photochemotherapeutic and phototherapeutic ultraviolet radiation devices, autoclaves, therapeutic and diagnostic X-ray machines, including CT-scans and fluoroscopes, ultrasound, magnetic resonance and other body-imaging devices.
The subject invention was developed to solve specific safety problems associated with the use of therapeutic ultraviolet radiation machinery by providing a system of treatment that can be safely administered in a patient""s home, without personal technical supervision. A preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a prescription-controlled, patient-operated, medical phototherapy treatment dispensing device. Coded prescription numbers which are entered in a programmable microprocessor control the number and length of treatments. When the prescribed number of treatments have been dispensed, a microprocessor counter deactivates the device so that it is no longer operable by the patient. If the patient""s physician wishes the treatments to continue, the physician provides the patient with a new coded prescription comprising a three or four-digit number. The patient scrolls this number code onto a microprocessor LED display, which reactivates the device for another series of treatments pursuant to the second coded prescription.
To protect the patient from overexposure to ultraviolet radiation, a special failsafe sensor monitors all functions of the microprocessor. Upon detection of a malfunction, the failsafe monitor deactivates the ultraviolet radiation means and activates audio and video warnings. In addition, failsafe circuitry monitors the sensor itself. Thus the inventive concept provides dual failsafe monitoring, wherein a first failsafe circuit monitors the operation of the machinery to which it applies, and a second failsafe circuit monitors the operation of the failsafe circuit itself.
The inventive concept is applicable to any mechanism that is intended to operate for a preset length of time, and then to turn off. In an X-ray machine, for instance, if the machine malfunctions and does not shut off after the preset time, the inventive failsafe circuit will shut off the machine. Also, if a machine is scheduled for calibration and/or preventative maintenance after a predetermined number of cycles, the inventive failsafe circuit will deactivate the machine in a manner that prevents reactivation unless certain procedures are followed. In kitchen equipment, e.g., ovens or deepfat fryers, a timer failure can result in a ruined product or a fire. The failsafe feature of the subject invention protects against such events. The invention is also useful in combination with machines that require maintenance inspections and/or repairs after a predetermined period of operation, such as various types of motors and generators.
Accordingly, although the invention is described primarily in terms of therapeutic ultraviolet radiation machinery, it will be appreciated that the invention can benefit any mechanism which has the means to provide selected timed events, and can provide failsafe means to protect any mechanism from failure during operation or from excessive use.
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a mechanism control means that will prevent the mechanism from failing in the on position.
It is another object of the invention to provide a mechanism control which will limit the operation of the mechanism to a predetermined length of time or to a predetermined number of events.
It is another object of the invention to provide a mechanism control means which will monitor all vital functions of the mechanism and emit audio and/or video warnings when it detects a malfunction of the mechanism.
It is another object of the invention to provide mechanism control means which will monitor all vital functions of the mechanism and which will shut the mechanism down when it detects a malfunction of the mechanism.
It is another object of the invention to provide a mechanism control means which will monitor all vital functions of the mechanism, and which includes failsafe means to monitor the control means.
It is another object of the invention to provide a mechanism control means with first failsafe means to monitor the control means and second failsafe means to monitor the first failsafe means.
It is another object of the invention to provide a mechanism control means which will control the length of a single operation of the mechanism, control the number of operations of the mechanism, and provide audio and/or video warnings and/or means to deactivate the mechanism when a malfunction occurs.
It is another object of the invention to provide ultraviolet radiation equipment for home use available only by physician""s prescription.
It is another object of the invention to provide an ultraviolet radiation device that is programmed to dispense timed treatments to a patient and that will deactivate after it has dispensed a predetermined number of timed treatments.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide an ultraviolet radiation device with a programmable microprocessor having an LED digital display module into which coded numbers may be entered to generate command signals to the microprocessor to perform predetermined functions.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a microprocessor program to protect the user of the device from overexposure to ultraviolet radiation.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a device with failsafe means to monitor all functions of both the ultraviolet radiation device and the microprocessor and to deactivate the device when a malfunction is detected.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a device that spaces dispensed treatments by predetermined time intervals.